In situ inventory tracking system

ABSTRACT

The invention is comprised of physical containment and control units coupled with a fault-tolerant sensor system and one or more servers which receive sensed input and invoke functions within virtual processing components (objects) to perform silent monitoring and critical inventory tracking and compliance reports.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/596,777 filed Dec. 9, 2017. The above application is incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of inventory or stock management, and more specifically to a system of inventory control which utilizes sensors to determine when an event affecting inventory levels has occurred and to invoke inventory control functions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In various scenarios, it is necessary to ensure that correct tools, portable equipment, inventory and other types of portable items are present at a specific location. Regulations may require that unexpired inventory be maintained on premises, or it may be necessary to monitor when the items are accessed and used to document compliance with industry standards or regulations. Ensuring the availability of an inventory of on-site emergency response items is a critical component of inventory and compliance management. Similarly, the unavailability of inventory and tools at a job site can disrupt workflow, projects and tasks.

Inherent to the need to monitor inventory is the need to hold personnel who have access accountable for reporting and replacing items after use or other events. It is also critical to track expiration dates, lot numbers, recalls and substituted items to ensure compliance and safety objectives are met.

There is an unmet need for in situ inventory management systems which can address theft, displacement and expiration of critical items which are to be maintained at designated locations.

There is a further unmet need for in situ inventory tracking systems which can detect events that may alter the status of inventory supplies present at a designated location.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a highly fault-tolerant in situ tracking system for monitoring the availability of current, unexpired inventory and/or portable implements to be maintained at a specific location. In various embodiments, the system invokes functions and generates reports to track inventory changes, item status, personnel activities and credentials, expiration, item changes, movement and other events that can compromise in situ availability of inventory.

In various embodiments, the invention is comprised of hardware and virtual processing components for silent communication, and a fault-tolerant sensor system and processing components for continuously tracking the status of critical inventory items to assure availability of an uncompromised supply of the items at all times. The invention is comprised of novel containment and control units coupled with sensors, at least one server for receiving sensed input, instantiating virtual objects and updating physical status attributes of the containment and control units and critical inventory components. Each containment and control unit is associated with a unique identification number. In various embodiments, virtual processing components may include but are not limited to unit classes, event classes, mapping classes for displaying locations and status of all containment and control units, personnel tracking classes, and inventory tracking classes which include processing components for continuously verifying placement and usage of items by comparing the current date to an item expiration date.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary in situ inventory control system, which initiates a silent alert during an inventory control event.

FIG. 2 illustrates virtual processing components for an exemplary in situ inventory control system.

FIG. 3 illustrates the instantiation of a virtual processing component to track an inventory containment and control unit.

TERMS OF ART

As used herein, the term “attribute” means a variable with which a value is associated; attributes may be static or dynamic.

As used herein, the term “in situ” means at the site at which supplies, tooling and equipment are to be maintained.

As used herein, the term “inventory” means supplies, tooling and equipment.

As used herein, the term “object” means a virtual processing component that contains both data and data structures and code which performs operations on the data structures.

As used herein, the term “processor” means hardware or software having processing capability which may be bound to non-modifiable (static) values and functions.

As used herein, the term “class” means a virtual processing component from which other objects and/or virtual processing components are instantiated; objects and/or virtual processing components within a class may have common attributes and functions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a highly fault-tolerant communication system for transmitting silent alerts and for continuously monitoring the availability of inventory items and a user's compliance with in situ inventory requirements.

FIG. 1 illustrates exemplary in situ inventory control system 100 for initiating a silent alert instantiating inventory control functions.

FIG. 1 illustrates in situ containment and control units 10 a, 10 b, and 10 c in communication with server 20, which updates display interface 30.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, containment and control unit 10 is coupled with sensor assembly 12. Unit 10 has a unique identification number. Sensor assembly 12 includes access sensor 14 and location sensor 16.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, server 20 is configured with a mapping class which updates map object 24 and an event class to store data related to sensed input, representing events to be logged.

Unit 10 is operatively coupled with sensor assembly 12, which transmits signal 18 to server 20 when unit 10 is opened or moved. Upon receiving signal 18, server 20 determines the identification number of unit 10, the event type, the timestamp, and instantiates event object 22 to store the information. Server 20 also invokes an update function to update mapping object 24 and display interface 30. In various embodiments, display interface 30 shows usage and deployment events associated with each container's location parameters.

In various embodiments, sensor assembly 12 includes a location sensor, a camera, a timer, and a transmitter. In various embodiments, the location sensor is comprised of two components configured to send a location update signal when a sensor mounted on a unit can no longer be tracked by a sensor which monitors its presence. In various embodiments, units may include additional sensors to monitor humidity and/or temperature. In various embodiments, unit 10 may require a unique code, badge, certificate, finger print or eye scan to open.

Server 20 is a computer system that maintains a data base of container units and identification numbers, and which instantiates virtual processing components called unit objects, representing each containment and control unit 10 having a unique identification number. The attributes associated with unit objects include, but are not limited to, unit identification number, date deployed, unit location, unit battery level or status, and open/closed status of containment and control unit 10. A unit object is associated with event objects, inventory objects and mapping objects.

Event objects 22 a through 22 c correspond to a signal sent by sensor assembly 12. The attributes associated with event objects include, but are not limited to, unit identification number, date opened and event type. Event types include alert events and inventory events.

Inventory objects have attributes representing an item stored within unit 10. The attributes associated with inventory objects include, but are not limited to, unit identification number, item description, quantity, inventory number, date deployed, and expiration date.

Mapping object 24 reflects the status and location of each containment and control unit 10 a through 10 c at a specific point in time. The attributes associated with mapping objects include, but are not limited to, unit identification number, unit location, and unit status. In various embodiments, mapping object 24 is a picture of a map representing the location of each unit 10 a through 10 c.

FIG. 2 illustrates virtual processing components for in situ inventory tracking system 100.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, in situ tracking system 100 includes an event class, a mapping class, a unit class, an inventory class, and a personnel class.

Server 20 receives signal 18 from unit 10 and instantiates an event object. In one embodiment, the event object is inventory event object 22 a, which reflects a maintenance event that inspects and/or replaces items in unit 10. Inventory event object 22 a updates expiration dates and other attributes in inventory object 26.

In an alternative embodiment, the event object is alert event object 22 b, that requires the use of the medical and tactical items in containment and control unit 10, or theft of unit 10. Alert event object 22 b updates locations, statuses, and other attributes in mapping object 24.

The inventory class creates inventory object 26 associated with each containment and control unit 10.

A processor configured to compare the current date to expiration dates in inventory object 26 can also alert server 20 if an inventory item expires.

Personnel object 28 can send a signal to server 20 to update inventory object 26 or event objects 22 a and 22 b.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, System 100 is fault tolerant. If any of the sensors fail or do not transmit a signal to server 20, System 100 will alert the user that the location or status of unit 10 is unknown.

In various embodiments, System 100 will alert a third party that the status or location of unit 10 is unknown. Third parties can include, but are not limited to, emergency reporting centers, police stations, and fire stations.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, server 20 is configured to received sensed inputs and includes a container class, an inventory class, an event class, a mapping class, a personnel class, and a processing component for comparing the current date to the expiration date of an item within containment and control unit 10.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, containment and control unit 10 has a unique identification number and contains items used for mitigating trauma and for enacting defensive countermeasures.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, server 20 is a computer system that maintains a data base of units and identification numbers. Server 20 instantiates software record objects to represent and track the status and attributes of units 10, and usage and deployment events associated with each unit's location parameters.

The unit class is a processing component configured to instantiate unit object 27 associated with unique identification numbers. The unit objects include the following attributes: unit identification number, date deployed, unit status, content list code, item data, item status, and date item stored. The server updates the unit status when it receives a signal from the sensor assembly.

The inventory class is a processing component configured to instantiate inventory object 26. The inventory objects have attributes representing an item stored within the containment and control unit. Item objects include the following attributes: unit identification number, item description, quantity, inventory number, date deployed, and expiration date.

The event class is a processing component configured to instantiate event object 22, corresponding to a signal received from sensor assembly 12. The event objects include the following attributes: unit identification number, date opened and event type.

The mapping class is a processing component configured to instantiate quasi-unique mapping object 24, which reflects the status attribute of each containment and control unit 10 at a specific point in time. The mapping objects include the following attributes: unit identification number, unit location, and unit status.

The personnel class is a processing component configured to instantiate personnel object 28 for each authorized personnel. The personnel objects include the following attributes: personnel identification, unit identification number, date opened, and authorization status.

In various embodiments, System 100 secures the availability of data relevant to trauma compliance and mitigation efforts. System 100 monitors continuing effectiveness of risk mitigation protocols and further deters interference with risk mitigation protocols.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, when the sensor assembly sends a signal to server 20, server 20 updates (1) the event status, type, and the date and time of the event in event object 22, (2) the unit status in unit object 24 to reflect that the unit has been opened or moved, (3) the expiration dates in inventory object 26, and (4) personnel object 28 to reflect which personnel opened the unit, the ID number of the unit, and the timestamp of the opening event.

In various embodiments, if unit 10 is opened or moved, server 20 may delete the expiration dates in inventory object 26 or may require authorized personnel to validate the existing dates.

FIG. 3 illustrates the instantiation of a virtual processing component to track containment and control unit 10.

To instantiate unit object 27 for a new unit 10, item objects 23 a through 23 c are incorporated into inventory list object 25, which are incorporated into unit objects 27 a through 27 c. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An in situ inventory and stock management system, comprised of: a plurality of in situ containment and control units coupled with at least one sensor assembly in communication with a plurality of virtual processing components located on a remote server wherein said virtual processing components are comprised of the following: a unit class for tracking location and attributes of said plurality of in situ containment and control units; an inventory class for tracking each item within a list of inventory items; a processing component for comparing the current date to an item expiration date to determine if a date threshold has been exceeded; an event class for instantiating an inventory event object when a sensed input is received or a date threshold is exceeded; a mapping class for tracking and updating location attributes of said plurality of in situ container units; and
 2. The system of claim 1, which further includes a personnel class which instantiates a plurality of personnel objects and invokes functions to identify attributes.
 3. The system of claim 2, wherein said personnel class is a processing component configured to instantiate a personnel object representing each personnel.
 4. The system of claim 3, wherein each of said personnel objects includes attributes selected from the group consisting of personnel identification, unit identification number, date opened, and authorization status.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein said unit class is a processing component configured to instantiate containment and control unit objects representing each of said plurality of in situ containment and control units, and to associate each of said plurality of in situ containment and control units with a unique identification number.
 6. The system of claim 5, wherein each of said containment and control unit objects includes attributes selected from the group consisting of unit identification number, date deployed, unit status, content list code, item data, item status, and date item stored.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein said inventory class is a processing component configured to instantiate inventory objects, wherein each of said inventory objects has attributes representing an item stored within said containment and control unit.
 8. The system of claim 7, wherein each of said inventory objects includes attributes selected from the group consisting of unit identification number, item description, quantity, inventory number, date deployed, and expiration date.
 9. The system of claim 1, wherein said event object is a processing component configured to instantiate event objects, corresponding to a signal received from said sensor assembly of said containment and control unit.
 10. The system of claim 9, wherein each of said event objects includes attributes selected from the group consisting of unit identification number, date opened and event type.
 11. The system of claim 1, wherein said mapping class is a processing component configured to instantiate a quasi-unique mapping object, which reflects the status attribute of each of said plurality of in situ containment and control units at a specific point in time.
 12. The system of claim 11, wherein each of said mapping objects includes attributes selected from the group consisting of unit identification number, unit location, and unit status.
 13. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor assembly includes one or more sensors which transmit a signal when one of said plurality of in situ containment and control units is opened, wherein said at least one sensor is operatively coupled with said server.
 14. The system of claim 13, wherein said sensor assembly further includes one or more sensors selected from the group consisting of a location sensor, a camera, a video sensor, a timer, and a transmitter, wherein said at least one sensor is operatively coupled with said server.
 15. The system of claim 13, wherein said signal updates at least one attribute of a unit object.
 16. A method for using a in situ inventory and stock management system, comprised of the steps of: storing items in at least one containment and control unit; coupling said at least one containment and control unit with a sensor assembly which sends a signal to a server when said unit is opened; performing at least one containment and control unit status monitoring function; performing at least one item status monitoring function; and updating an event log when a signal is received.
 17. The method of claim 16, which further includes the step of comparing expiration dates to the current date.
 18. The method of claim 16, which further includes the step of receiving said signal created by an event selected from a group consisting of opening of said at least one containment and control unit, tampering with said at least one containment and control unit, moving of said at least one containment and control unit, expiration of said items, supplementing said items, and replacing said items.
 19. The method of claim 16, which further includes the step of performing at least one location status monitoring function upon receiving a signal.
 20. The method of claim 16, which further includes the step of displaying the location and status of said at least one containment and control unit. 